The notion of living plastic-free seems quite daunting, and maybe a little silly. July is Plastic-Free Month, so we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to reassess our lifestyle choices and be more mindful of our actions and their environmental consequences. Changing your lifestyle so drastically may appear fruitless in the grand scheme of things, but making these small changes makes a world of difference, trust me.

Here are some easy ways to reduce your plastic consumption:

1. Buy and store in bulk. Bring your own reusable containers and bags to the grocery store. Buy products in bulk to save on cost and unnecessary packaging waste. This will also encourage you to follow a less-processed (and more vegan) lifestyle.

2. Use natural remedies for personal care. Have fun experimenting with recipes to make your own beauty and personal care products, instead of buying commercial products with plastic packaging and harmful chemical additives.

3. Start composting. You’ll learn that once you begin eliminating your wet waste (fresh produce) from your waste stream, you’ll no longer need plastic garbage bags. Composting is extremely convenient, can happen right in your backyard, and is great top soil for your home garden!

4. Learn to bring your own. Get into the habit of bringing your own reusable straw and takeout packaging. Living plastic-free may seem to isolate you from certain activities, but it doesn’t have to if you make a point of coming prepared!

5. Start collecting your waste. Keep a bag of all your plastic waste. You will become more cognizant of your consumption habits and be more likely to institute change. Our patterns of consumption are so engrained that we often overlook all our instances of waste. Slow down and try to understand all your purchases and activities that involve or further encourage your use of plastic.